1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window pane supporter in a motor car, and particularly to a window pane supporter wherein the pane is supported at the door belt line portion of the motor car in a width-wise direction of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, in a hard top type motor car with no window frame in a door, as shown in FIG. 1, a pane 2 housed in a door panel 1 is guided by an elevating guide incorporated in the door panel 1 and held in the width-wise direction of the vehicle by a support member 3 provided on a door belt line portion, so that it can obtain the optimum vertical moving path and unusual sounds (pattering sounds of the pane 2) can be prevented from occurring during running condition of the vehicle, or when the door is opened or closed.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the conventional window pane supporter using the abovedescribed support member 3. The support member 3 rotatably supports a roller 4 as a supporting portion through a pin 5A, and secured to an outer plate 1A and a reinforcing member 1B of the outer phase 1A through a leaf spring 5A. Secured to the outer plate 1A of the door panel 1 is a belt braid 6, which is integrally formed with a weather strip 7 which is in contact with the outer surface of the pane 2.
Additionally, secured to an inner plate 1C of the door panel 1 is a guide member 8 for guiding the pane 2 when it is elevated or lowered, and a guide roller 10, pivoted on a pin 9 fixed to the lower end of the pane 2, is slidably provided on the inner surface of the guide member 8. Further, a bracket 11 is secured to the inner plate 1C of the door panel 1 through bolts and the like in a manner to be movable and adjustable in the width-wise direction of the vehicle. A first mount 12 holds, through a shock absorbing material 12A such as rubber, textile wool consisting of nylon fibers and the like in contact with the inner surface of the pane 2. Fixed on a second mount 13 of the bracket 11 is a trim 14, which is integrally formed with a weather strip 15 being in abutting contact with the inner surface of the pane 2.
More specifically, in the conventional window pane supporter, the pane 2 is supported at the inner and outer surfaces thereof by the roller 4 of the support member 3 and the shock absorbing material 12A and the textile wool 12B, both of which are held on the first mount 12, at the door belt line portion, and the guide roller 10 provided at the lower end portion of the pane 2 is slidably engaged with the guide member 8, so that the pane 2 can be held at the optimum position in the width-wise direction of the vehicle.
However, in the conventional window pane supporter, in order to hold the pane 2 at the optimum position in the width-wise direction of the vehicle and to secure the optimum vertical moving path for the pane 2, it is necessary to support the inner and outer surfaces of the pane 2 firmly. However, under the conditions where undesirable matter such as sand and dust are attached to the outer surfaces of the pane 2, if the pane 2 is firmly supported, scratches tend to be formed on the surfaces of the pane 2 when the pane 2 is elevated or lowered, and hence, a clearance of a certain value is required to be formed between the support member 3 and the pane 2.
With the window glass supporter in which a clearance is rendered between the support member 3 and the pane 2, the pane 2 becomes floatable at the door belt line portion in the width-wise direction of the vehicle, and, when the motor car runs with the pane 2 being slightly lowered into the door panel 1, the pane 2 moves in the width-wise direction of the vehicle, whereby pattering sounds of the pane 2 may occur, and further, the pane 2 may interfere with the door reinforcing members and the like, thereby damaging the quality of the vehicle to a considerable extent. Furthermore, even when the pane 2 is housed in the door panel 1, the pane 2 becomes floatable in the width-wise direction of the vehicle, it becomes necessary to provide clearances of sufficient values between functional parts provided in the door panel 1, such as an outside handle or impact bar, door lock and the pane 2. As a result, there are presented such as disadvantages increased distance between the outer plate 1A and the inner plate 1C, the door panel 1 is increased in weight, and the passenger compartment is decreased in dimensions, thus impairing the comfortability in the vehicle.